*UPDATE* As of this morning, Balsam Gardens and Which Came First Farm still have turkeys available. Contact them directly; details below. Hickory Nut Gap Farm and East Fork Farm have sold out and are no longer taking reservations. East Fork Farm is, however, still taking reservations for Christmas goose.
Want to make a local Thanksgiving meal this year, starting with a farm-fresh bird? The following farms are taking turkey reservations now; visit their websites and/or contact them directly for more details and to order. Many farms are also at local tailgate markets and can provide additional info or register you there.
Note: This is not necessarily a complete list. We will update it to include more farms as we gather that information, as well as share when farms have sold out. You can also browse farms offering turkeys (year-round and at the holidays) via our online Local Food Guide.
- Balsam Gardens: (from their website) “We had great success last year with our turkeys and are happy to be offering them again in 2012. We are shooting for 15-20 pound birds. We only raise a limited number of turkeys once per year and must sell them all. Therefore, we cannot guarantee any particular weight for you, but we can do our best to provide you with what you want on your pickup day. We will be processing the turkeys over a five day period leading up to Thanksgiving, November 17-November 22. You will pick your turkey up fresh the day it is processed between the hours of 4-6 pm. The price is $4 per pound. There is a $20 deposit that will come off the final price of your turkey and an $0.88 non-returnable convenience fee for placing your order online.” Learn more about Balsam Gardens in their Local Food Guide listing.
- East Fork Farm: Sold out of turkeys; no longer taking reservations. Still taking reservations for Christmas goose. (from their website): Pricing for goose: 8 to 10 pounds is $9 per pound, 11 plus pounds is $8 per pound. A deposit of $20 is required before your reservation is complete. Christmas goose available for pickup at the North Asheville Tailgate Market on 12/22 from 12 to 4 pm.
- Hickory Nut Gap Farm: Sold out; no longer taking reservations.
- Which Came First Farm: (via ASAP’s Classifieds) “We’ve got fresh pasture-raised Thanksgiving turkeys available! Come see us at the French Broad Food Co-op Wednesday Tailgate Market (Wednesdays 2-6 pm), or the Oakley Farmers Market (Thursdays 3:30-6:30 pm; final market is October 25), or get in touch to reserve your bird. Turkeys will be available fresh on Tuesday the 20th of November (that’s the week of Thanksgiving). A deposit of $25 is required to reserve your bird. Turkeys are $4.50 per lb. We plan for our turkeys to range from 12 lbs to 22 lbs but we cannot guarantee a specific size. Please indicate your preferred size range and we’ll do our best to accommodate you: small 12-16 lbs; medium 15-19 lbs; large 18-22 lbs.”
Know of a farm offering holiday turkeys not on this list? Do tell!